Tuesday, 24 July 2012

Welcome to the Salon

The air was thick with cigar smoke and the deep, rich tones
of the cello. In one corner, an emaciated poet leaned his elbow against the
piano, declaiming his latest work to a rapt audience. In another, a small group
talked of the coming revolution, eager to speak their minds in such an
enlightened atmosphere, without fear of the ever-listening ears.

Our intrepid author lounged on a couch, pen in hand as she
worked through the second draft of her latest novel. “If only I could get
published,” she lamented to her sister, whose eyes were fixed upon the cellist.
“I would so love to share my experiences of writing with the literary world, after
the fashion of my most admired illustrious authors, but I fear no-one would
want to read the musings of an amateur writer such as myself.”

“ Nonsense,” her sister responded. “For have you not penned
many an unread novel? And are there not scores of unpublished writers out there
looking for like-minded souls? After all, it can be a little… demoralising, to
only read of authors who have already achieved your goals.”

“Too true!” Alice declared, knocking back another shot of
absinthe.

“But what would you write about?” a fellow author asked.

“Why, anything and everything!” Alice answered. “All the
things we discuss in this salon, but committed to print for a wider audience! I
simply don’t know where to begin! I could reveal what I’ve learnt through years
of trial and error, and review different methods of plotting and characterisation.
I might review some books as well, and perhaps write about how my current
novelling efforts are going.” She looked down at little sadly at her
forever-unfinished second draft.

“I would read it,” Alice’s sister said, although her eyes
never left the cellist.